Eighths to harry a



(No Model.)

C. MITCHELL. TROLLEY WHEEL.

Patented July 23,1895.

UV x UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcEa CHARLES MITCHELL, OF YONKERS, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOR OF FlVE 'ElGHTHS TO HARRY A. ARCHIBALD, OF SAME PLACE.

TROLLEY-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,042, dated July 23,1895.

Application tiled December 20, 1894i Serial No. 532,450. (No modcl Toall whom it may concern:

13e it known that I, CHARLES MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Yonkn ers, in the county of Vestchester and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Trolley-iVheel, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to trolley-wheels for electric cars; and it hasfor its object to provide a new and useful construction of trolley-wheelthat shall be very durable, while at the saine time possessingexceptional qualities for easy running without requiring any lubricantwhatever.

iVith these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the saine consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trolley-wheel and itsbearing-support constructed in accordance with this in` vention. Fig. 2is a vertical transverse sectional view of the saine. Fig. 3 is a detailplan view of one of the side contact-plates.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 1 designate opposite parallelside bearingfraines that are connected together at their lower ends bymeans of a connecting-bolt 2, passed through bolt-openings in the lowerends of said side bearing-frames and also through the shank of asocket-casting 4, clamped in position between the lower ends of saidside bearing-frames and adapted to have iitted therein the upper end ofthe ordinary trolley-pole 5. The opposite side bearing-frames 1 areprovided with oppositelyaligned circular threaded bearing-openings G, inwhich are removably and adjustably fitted the exteriorly threadedsectional bearing sleeves or bushings 7, that are preferably made ofcase-hardened steel and are provided in their inner sides with annularV- shaped bearing-grooves S.

Arranged to work between the opposite side bearing-frames 1 is thecontact-w heel 9, that is provided with the usual peripheral recess orgroove to t the trolley-wire with which the wheel makes the usualcontact. The wheel 9 is provided with a straight intermediate webportion 11, from opposite sides of which are projected the integralcentral axle projections 12. The opposite axle projections 12, extendedfrom both sides of the wheel 9, are exteriorly threaded and are adaptedto have fitted thereon the interior-1ythreaded insulator-collars 13. Thecollars 13 are made of any suitable insulating material and are slightlylonger than the axle projections 12 on which they are fitted, and attheir inner ends the said collars are provided with the inner endflanges 14, that are adapted to t fiat against the sides of theintermediate web portion of the wheel 9.

The insulator-collars 13 have fitted exteriorly thereon bearing collars15, that titloosely within the sleeves or bushings 7 of the sidebearing-frames 1, and the collars 15 are also made of casediardenedsteel and are provided with exterior annular V shaped bearing-grooves16, that are opposed to and are located directly opposite the grooves Sof the sleeves or bushings '7, and the said opposite grooves S and 16are adapted to accom` rnodate therein a series of bearing-balls 1T, thatcomplete a ball-bearing for the wheel i) and reduce the frictionincident to the running thereof to a minimum, so that no lubrication ofthe bearings for the wheel is required.

Beyond the outer ends of the axle projections 12 of the wheel the outeropen ends of the collars 13 are adapted to receive therein thecontact-balls 1S, that contact with the ends of the axle projections 12and are held in place by the central bearing-bosses 19 of the fixed sidecontact-plates 20. The bosses 19 t snugly in the outer projecting endsoi' the collars 13, and the plates 2O are provided at their ends withside bosses 21, that lit against the side frames 1 at the side of thebearing-openings 6 therein and serve to hold the said contact-platesofi' from the bushings 7 and collars 15. Screws 22 pass through the endsof the plates 2O and into the frames 1 and complete connections forconducting the current from the wheel to the pole.

The construction and many advantages of the herein-describe ;ltrolley-wheel will be readily apparent to those skiiled in the art 5 butat this point attention is directedy to the IOO I f laterally adj ustitself to be accommodated to special advantages that exist in thepresent invention. In the first place, it will be observed that theherein-described bearing for the Wheel is not only simple inconstruction, but at the same time is of such a character as to requireno lubricant of any description, thereby allowing the metal contacts tobe always clean,so that no material resistance will be offered to thepassage of the current from the Wheel to the pole, as is the caseintrolley- Wheels Where large quantities of oil or other lubricant arerequired to insure the easy running of the Wheel.

. By reason of the specific construction of the bearings for the wheelthe said wheel may the conductor on which it runs, and by employing theinsulator-collars 13 between the metal parts of the bearings thebearings Will not become heated when arcing takes place,

as is generally the case when the wheel leaves y the conductor, and,furthermore, the absence ot' oil or grease from the hereinLdescribedWheel obviates the danger of the Wheel iiashing along the line orburning, asis quite common.

Further attention is directed tothe specific construction of thebearings for the Wheel, which, by reason of being located in the bearing-f rames, renders it unnecessary to take the bearings apartto put in anew wheel, as the bearings will outWear the wheels, and by employing thesleeves 7 and collars 15, with grooves cut therein at an angle of aboutforty degrees, the friction incident to the running of the Wheel isreduced to a minimum and the balls Within the grooves act as collars aswell as bearings.

Changesin the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmaybe resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to'besecured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a trolleywheel, the combination with the side bearing frames; ofthe Wheel having opposite axle projections and spaces beyond the ends ofsaid axle projections, contact balls arranged in said spaces in contactwith the ends of the axle projections, and side contact plates attachedto the side bearing frames and'titting over said spaces in contact withthe contact balls therein, substantially as set forth. v

2. In a trolley wheel, the combination of opposite side bearing frameshaving threaded bearing openings, exteriorly threaded bearing sleevesfitted in said bearing openings and provided with interior annularV-shaped bearing grooves, the wheel arranged between the bearing framesand provided with central axle projections extended from both sidesthereof and exteriorly threaded, interiorly threaded flanged insulatorcollars fitted on said axle projections, bearing collars fittedexteriorly on the insulator collars and provided with exterior annularV-shaped bearing grooves arranged opposite the grooves of the bearingsleeves, and bearing balls arranged in the space confined Within thegrooves of the bearing sleeves and collars, substantially as set forth.

3. In a trolley Wheel, the combination with the side bearing frames, ofthe Wheel having opposite central axle projections, insulatorcollarsiitted on the axle projections and of a greater length than thesame, contact balls arranged within theinsulator collars in contact withsaid axle projections, and side contact plates attached to the sidebearin g frames and provided with central contact `bosses fitting in theouter open ends ot the insulator collars and contacting with saidcontact balls, substantially as setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

A. A. HUBBARD,

WM. H. GREENHALGH.

